According to the New York City Medical Examiner's Office, the death of an unarmed Brooklyn man shot and killed by an NYPD officer last week has been declared a homicide.
NBC New York reports that the medical examiner's office announced that 28-year-old Akai Gurley's death has been ruled a homicide. Gurley was killed inside of East New York's Pink Houses just after 11 p.m. Thursday night while probationary officer Peter Liang and his partner were conducting a "vertical patrol" inside of the building's stairwell. When Gurley entered a startled Liang reportedly discharged his weapon by accident, striking Gurley in the chest.
Gurley, who later died at Brookdale Hospital, was called a "total innocent" by NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton. Liang has been relegated to modified duty while the police department's Internal Affairs division investigates the shooting.
[via NBC New York]
